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Summary (English)

Summary (English)

The archaeological investigations continued in the same sectors from 2009, in order to remove the baulks and complete the results from the previous season.

1. The Temple with hypogeum was completely excavated in the interior and phases from the 2nd to the 4th century were documented. Pieces of marble sculptures and an impressive marble vessel were discovered on the floor in the first underground chamber. The excavations also revealed oil lamps and transport amphora on the floor of the second chamber.
The area outside the temple remained largely unexplored, although the temenos wall, the entrance to the chambers and the two hearths in front of it were investigated. Especially important is the discovery of the front side of the temple and the remains of the steps which lead to the pronaos.
The complex around the temple was also a focus of the excavations. The documentation of different settlement phases is just the beginning of the research in this very important urban area. The most exciting discovery in the Temple sector was the previously unknown city gate in the southern part of the fortification. The gate, which has steps made of theatre seats, was closed during the 6th century AD. Two paved streets lead from the gate to the center of the town and along the inside of the fortification wall.
An inner tower was also excavated in the southeast corner of the city wall. Remains of an earlier defensive wall were found beneath the floor of the tower.

2. In the Theatre sector, buildings from the second half of the 6th century and their phases were investigated. The pottery kiln from Late Antiquity, located at the east end of the scene building, was also excavated.
The excavations completely revealed the lower part of the cavea, while the upper part was investigated between the radial walls. The bedding for the diazoma, the vaults connecting the radial walls and three arched entrances in the radial corridors below the summa cavea were documented. Since only the arches are revealed so far, it is clear that the floor of the corridors is covered with at least 3-4 meters of debris from Late Antiquity.

3. The so-called North-Western Necropolis was excavated for the first time in 2010. The necropolis is located next to the northwestern part of the defensive wall. The burials date from Late Antiquity and the deceased are placed in arched tile graves with very few or no offerings. 225 of the 252 excavated graves belong to children.

4. Test trenches were placed along the Northwestern Fortification Wall in order to investigate the foundations. Besides the foundations and the burials from the previously described necropolis, the test trenches revealed remains of earlier buildings mainly destroyed by the construction of the city wall. Some of the remains may belong to an earlier fortification.

5. The removal of most of the baulks at the area above the Semicircular court revealed a complete picture of the urbanization of this part of Early Byzantine Stobi (second half of the 6th century). The results are based on the excavation of the undisturbed context of at least ten houses and the streets between them. The houses have several phases but only the last one is fully documented. Besides the material from Late Antiquity, the two stratigraphical trenches revealed Hellenistic and Iron Age sherds in the lowest layers.
One of the most important achievements of this year’s excavations was the complete excavation of the so-called “House with a triclinium”, the largest and most beautiful building from the second half of the 6th century. The conservation of the house will begin in 2011.

6. The excavation of The Building with Arches continued inside the building while four trenches were also set outside the walls. These trenches will reveal the outer side of the walls, which are needed for the planned conservation. Inside the building, a few arched tile graves were excavated. In addition to the excavation, preventive conservation of the opus sectile floor in the second apsidal hall of the building was carried out.

7. The excavations in the south isle of the Episcopal Basilica revealed the south wall of the Old Episcopal Basilica from the 4th century, on which important layers of wall paintings with geometrical motifs are preserved. Remains of an older wall were documented as well but there is no further explanation for it due to the limited excavation area.

Director

Director:Silvana Blazevska - National Institution Stobi

Team

Field director assistant:Valentina Todoroska

Field director:Antonio Jakimovski - Faculty of Philosophy - Department of Art History and Archaeology